Pipe wrench



July 7,1925. 1,544,807

W. L. CHILDS PIPE WRENCH FileiSept 6 1921 IRE v F52 W- L H INVENTOR.

BY mam ATTORNEY.

Patented July 7, 1925.

PATENTfOFFICE.

UNITED} STATES WILLIAM L. camps, or nousromrnxes, assrenon 'ro mrennsroor. COMPANY, or

- nous'romrnxas, A CORPORATION or TEXAS.

PIPE WRENCH.

Application filed September 6, 1921. Serial No. 498,664. 1

To all/whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNVILLIAM L. CHILDS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Pipe l/Vrenches, of which thefol-.vide a pipe lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make anduse the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in pipe wrenches, and moreparticularly to that type of wrench used in screwing and unscrewing the'joints of drill stem or casing in-the drilling of deep wells.

The object of my invention is to provlde a wrench of this characterwhich may be coupled .on to the pipe, or released therefrom with aminimum amount of manipulation of the gripping jaws.

1 Another object of my invention is to prowrench which may be secured tothe coupling which is to be unscrewed without the necessity of operatingreleasing pins or bolts and in which the locking of the jaws about thepipe is accomplished by i the swinging of a latch conveniently arranged.

Another object is to provide a wrench having a powerful gripping actionupon the pipe being handled. ther objects and advantages willmoreclearly appear in the course of the more detailed description whichfollows;

Referring to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by likenumerals of reference in the several views, Fig. 1 'is a top plan viewof a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention, shown ascoupled about a pipe, said pipe being shown in transverse section; Fig,2 is a side elevation of said wrench taken from a position at rightangles to that shown in Fig. 1, the upper part being in section on thebroken line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a broken detail, partly in section,showing my improved latch and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line4.4. of Fig. 3.

The handle 5 of my wrench is preferably an elongated bar, nearly squarein crosssection, and having an eye 6 on the outer or rear end to receivea hook or cable by means of which it may be operated. Adjacent theopposite or forward end is an upstanding eyelet 7 furnishing asupporting attachment.

The forward end of the handle 5 is recessed -on one side at 8 toprovidespace for the movement of one of the jaws and the other side is formedinto a shoulder 9 to limit the movement of the handle in one directionrelative to the jaws. To the central forward end of the handle issecured. a segmental jaw 10 pivoted upon a pin 11. A

f similar jaw. 12 ispivotedat 13 to the outer end of the jaw 10. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pin or pivoti13 is provided with a bushing14 and at one end of the pin is arranged. a spiral spring 15, the endsof which are extended in opposite directions .along the. sides of thejaws 10 and 12 and are held in contact with stopmembers 16 and 17 on thesaid jaws, the resiliency of the 'spring, acting to force the ends ofthespring against the stop members thus tending to throw the jaws into openposition.

One of the jaws has a stop pin 18 thereon to limit the opening movementof the jaws relative to eachother. Thev jaw 12 is pro-.

vided with a handle 30 by means of which it may be manipulated. V p

The inner end 20 of the jaw 12 is somewhat enlarged and provided withanopening therethrough to receive a pin 19. The end 20 is forked as shownin Fig. 2 to provide a space to receive the hooked end 21 of a link 22which forms a latch to secure the jaw relative to the handle, -The latch22 is pivoted at its other end at 23 to the handle 5, ma point about theaxial centerthereof and spaced behind the jaw lO. The outer end of thelatch 22 is provided with a handle member 24 by means of which the latchmay be manipulated. A spiral spring 25 is connected tothe outer end ofthe handle 24: and also to ahook 26 on the wrench handle 5. a Thisspring is under tension and acts normally to draw the latch into openposition.

V The pivoted end of the latch 22 is forked as shown at 27 to receivethe end of the handle 5 of the wrench/ Between the forked end 27 and thereduced end of the handle, shown at 28, I may provide a friction washer29. Such a washer is shown in Fig. 4, the purpose thereof being toprovide a friction joint so that when the latch has been thrown into acertain position, it will tend to remain so. When this joint is used itis contemplated that the spring 25 will be dispensed with.

The operation of my wrench is now obvio'us. The jaws are swung about thepipe as shown in Fig. 1 by means of the handle 30 on the jaw 12, thelatch 22 being caught about the pin 19 on the end of the said jaw and,when in this position, the tension of the spring 15 will tend to drawthe jaws apart and thus hold them in contact with the hook of the latch.If the handle of the wrench is then swung in clockwise direction, asshown in Fig. 1, the action 'of the latch connection between the handleand the jaw 12 will be to draw the said 'jaw into clamping contact withthe pipe. The end 20 will be drawn toward the handle, the recess 8allowing space for this movement. A similar action takes place relativetothe other jaw, the pivot pin 11 on the end of the handle being drawnto the right so as to force the jaw 10 also against the pipe, thecombined action being clamping one. 4 I prefer to secure on the innerfaces of the clamping jaws 10 and 12, a lining 31 of soft metal, such assoft iron or brass, and on one or more of the jaws I contemplate fixinga tooth o'r teeth 32 having a sharpened -edge projecting inwardly fromthe jaw. Thus, when the aws are clamped together by the swinging of thehandle 5, the soft metal and the. tooth 32 will act to grip the pipefirmly, so that it may be rotated.

When the pipe is to be released, the

swinging of the handle in the opposite direction will act to unlatch thelatch 22 from the jaw 12 so that the jaw may be quickly swung open andthe wrench removed from thepipe. The construction of the head "of thewrench and the particular arrangement of the latch 22, which serves as aquickly removable catch and also as a connecting link in my clampingdevice, is especially advantageous, in that a most efficient clampingaction is thereby obtained and a'quick release may be secured at alltimes. The use of a soft metal lining for the jaws in com bination withthe sharp tooth secures a grip upon the pipe which will not fail tohold. Having thus described my invention, the further objects andadvantages of which will be apparent to one skilled in the alt, what Iclaim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a. pipewrench, a handle having a lateral recess atone end, a latch pivotedadjacent said recess, a hook on the outer end of said latch, a segmentalpipe gripping jaw pivoted to said handle at a point spaced beyond thepivotal point of said latch, a second segmental jaw pivoted at the outerend of said first jaw, means tending to throw said jaws into openposition, and means on the end of said second jaw to receive the hook'on said latch.

2. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a segmental jaw pivoted at the forwardend thereof, a second jaw pivoted at one end to said first named jaw andhaving an opening in its other end, a latch pivoted on said handle at apoint spaced to the rear of the pivotal point of said first jaw, a hookon said latch adapted to be received in the opening of said second jaw,and means tending to throw said latch into open position.

3. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a segmental jaw pivoted on the forwardend thereof, a hooked latch pivotedat a point spaced to the rear of saidjaw, said handle having a lateral recess adjacent said latch,

a'second jaw pivoted at one end to said first named .j aw and havingmeans to receive 's'aid latch at the other end and means "tending tothrow said jaws into open position in the manner described. I

t 4:. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a curved jaw pivoted at one of itsends to. the forward end of said handle, a hooked latch pivoted at apoint spac'e'd'to the rear of said jaw, a second jaw pivota-llyconnected to said first named jaw, and having an opening to receive saidlatch, means to manipulate .said second jaw and means to manipulate saidlatch, said latch being.

adapted to be released on movement of said handle in one direction.

5. In a pipe wrench, ahandle, a segmental jaw pivoted at one of its endsto the forward end of 'said handle, a pivoting pin in its other end, asecond jaw connected to said first named jaw by means of said pin, aspring on said pin bearing against said jaws tending to force them intoopen position and means to latch said second jaw to said handle at apoint spaced behind the pivotal point of said first named jaw.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature this the 31 day ofAugust A. D.

